1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Realted Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,101 and FIG. 23 herein relate to a connector. With reference to FIG. 23, the connector has a housing 1 and a terminal fitting 2 is inserted into a cavity 3 of the housing 1 from the rear. A lance 3a is provided in the cavity 3 for preventing removal of the terminal fitting 2 from the cavity 3. A front retainer 4 is mounted to the front of the cavity 3 and has an elastic deformation prevention portion 4a that advances into a flexible space of the lance 3a and prevents the lance 3a from deforming away from the terminal fitting 2. The cavity 3 has a front wall 5 formed on the front retainer 4 and a front wall 6 formed on the housing 2. Insertion openings 8, 9 are formed respectively in the front walls 5, 6 so that a mating terminal fitting 7 can advance into the cavity 3 from the front of the housing 1. A guide surface 8a is formed around the periphery of the front of the insertion opening 8 on the front wall 5 of the front retainer 4 for guiding the mating terminal fitting 7 into the cavity 3.
The housing 1 and the front retainer 4 are made of synthetic resin. Thus, dimensional errors occur among products when the synthetic resin is molded. As a result, the insertion opening 8 in the front retainer 4 and the insertion opening 9 in the housing 1 may not radially align. Consequently, the mating terminal fitting 7 may be caught by the peripheral portion of the insertion opening 9 in the housing 1.
The invention has been completed in view of the above-described situation. Therefore it is an object of the present invention to insert a mating terminal fitting smoothly into a cavity.